Indicator



' Sept. 1', 1925.

- C. BRACHVOGEL ET AL INDICATOR Filed June 12.

INVENTOR 5 i? Z firm/w 7e WITNESSES Mich/0111411 IZ BY momma Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES CLAIRE BRACHVO'GEL AND JOHN K. BBAGHVOGEL, NEW YORK, N. Y.

INDICATOR.

. Application filed June 12, 1920. Serial No. 388,548.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that we, CLAIRE BRAoHvooEL and JOHN K. 'BRACHVOGEL, both citizens of the United States, and residents of the city 6 of New York, borough of Manhattan, in

the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Indicator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

10 This invention relates to indicators for theatre chairs, benches and the like, and has reference to a device for indicating un der conditions of poor visibility, such as those in a darkened playhouse, whether or not a particular seat is occupied. More particularly, the invention relates to the combination with a chair having a movable seat,

of an indicator comprising a permanentlyluminous element, and means controlled by the movable seat, for rendering said luminous element visible or invisible.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient indicator for theatre chairs and the like, which will positively indicate to an observer at a distance, whether or not a particular chair is occupied, which requires no electric current or other source of power for its operation, and which may be inexpensively produced and applied.

A further object of the invention is to provide an indicator for the purpose stated, in which the indicating signal or notification is given by means of a permanentlyluminous element such as a radio-actively luminous substance, which is automatic in operation and is controlled by the position of the seat of the chair, by means of which crowding and like annoyances in darkened layhouses are minimized, and which may e applied to and used,with theatre chairs and, benches-of various types, kinds and slzes.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims. I Reference is to be had to the accompanying parts forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a theatre chair having an embodiment of our inven tion applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the chair, shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section of the chair shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of a. theatre chair having a modified form of our invention applied thereto and shown partly in section;

Figure 5 is a partial, vertical section of a theatre chair having a further modified form of our invention applied thereto; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, vertical sec tion showing a still further modified form of our invention.

Before proceeding'to a more detailed ex-. planation of our invention it should be Clearly understood that while the forms of the invention disclosed herein are shown as applied to theatre chairs of standard type, it can also be advantageously used. in connection with other, similar articles of furniture customarily used in theatres, moving-picture houses and like places. The in vention is particularly useful in movingpicture auditoriums which it is necessary or desirable to keep as dark as possible. Under these conditions, members of the audience entering, have great difficulty in locating vacant chairs in the different rows, or in determining the number of adjacent vacant chairs available. This causes crowding, confusion, and obvious annoyance. Our indicator provides means operative at all times to indicate whether or not a particular chair is occupied or unoccupied, so that an observer at the end of the row, glancing down the row, can not only ascertain Whether or not chairs are available, but can likewise easily locate one or more adjacent vacant chairs.

, We employ for the indicating function in our device, a permanently -luminous element such as a radio-actively luminous substance commonly employed at the present time in connection with electric push-buttons, pull sockets, watch dials, and the like.

. These substances are practically permanent,

as they will remain luminous for periods of two thousand years or more. It will be understood, however, that any othersubstance adapted for the purpose may be employed, and we do not wish to-limit ourselves to this or any other details of construction which form no part of the invenshown in Figures 1, 2 and 3,

central recess covered by a back plate 16,

havingnear its upper end an opemng 17. Secured within the recess, underneath the opening 17, is a permanently-luminous element 18, which, when the opening 17 is uncovered, is readily visible. Slidably mounted within th recess 15 is arod 19 carrying at its upper end a shutter 20 adapted to open and close the opening 17 The rod is mounted in bearing brackets 21 secured on the in' ner surface of the backplate 16. vThe lower end of the rod, .which projects from the corresponding end of the recess to a point' substantially below the lower edge ofthe back, is provided with a head 22. A helical spring 23 is mounted upon the lower end of the rod, between the head 22 and the lower bearing bracket 21, abutting against both.

. The spring serves normally to project the lower end of the rod and withdraw the shutter from the opening 17, to leave the same uncovered. This is the position of the parts when the seat is raised, as is shown in Figures 1 and 2. When the seat islowered, and the weight of the occupant imposed thereon, the rear edge of the seat engages the head 22 and holds the rod in a raised position such that the shutter covers the opening 17, and the luminous element 18 is invisible. Preferably, the tension of the spring should 'be sufficient to project the rod and slightly raise the seat when the same is unoccupied, should the last occupant have failed to raise the seatwhen leaving. It will be understood that in this way,- the, 'fact that the seat is vacant will at "all times be readily discernible.

slidably mounted in bearing brackets 26 secured to the back of the chair, at the outside thereof. The luminous element 27, which in this type of the indicator is of semi-spherical form, is likewise secured to the back of the chair. A correspondinglyformed shutter 28 is pivotally mounted upon a suitable bracket 29 below the luminous element, and has secured thereto a crank-arm 30, which is connected by means of a link 31 with the upper end of the rod 25. so that when the rod is lowered, the shutter is swung downwardly to disclose the luminous element. The lower end of the rod has a head 32 and a spring 33 corresponding in construction and function to the elements 22 and 23 of the first-described form.

In Figure 5 we have shown a further modified form of the invention, in which an operating rod 34 is mounted in a. recess 35 of the chair back, sliding in suitable bearing brackets 36. An opening is provided in the top of the chair back, through which a tubular or cylindrical luminous element 37 maybe projected under a semi-spherical rounded, transparent, protective hood 38. A spring 39' is mounted on the upper end of the rod, between the laterally extended base of the luminous element 37 and the upper bearing bracket 36. A lever 40 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 41 at the bottom of the back, and has a slot and pin connection 42 with the lower end of the rod. The other end 43 of the lever is rounded for engagement by the rear portion'of the chair seat, to lower the rod and retractthe luminous element. In Figure 6 a slightly modified form of this type of the indicator is shown,

in which the upper end of the rod 34 has a coating 44 of luminous paint or the like, a collar '45 being, provided for gabutment against the upper end of the spring 39.

Havingthus described our invention, we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combinationwith a chair having aback and a hinged seat, the back being provided with a covered vertical recess having.

its lower end leading out through the lower end of the back and having and opening in its upper end, a rod slidable in the recess, a

luminous element on the upper end of the rod and adapted to extend through the opening at the upper end of the recess, a spring on the rod within this recess between stops on the rod and chair back, and a lever pivoted to the'lower end ofthe back and having one end loosely ivoted .to the rod, the other end of the lever ing adapted tobe engaged by-the seat to operate the said rod.

.2. The combination with a chair having a back and a hinged seat, the back being provided with a vertical covered recess hav- In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 4, an operating rod" 25 "ising its lower end open and an openinglin its inthe recess; a permanently luminous ele- -ing a pin anfi slot connection' with the ment on the upper end of the rod and lower end of the ro&, the other end of the adapted to be projected by the spring lever being adapted to be engaged by the 10 '-'through the top opening of the recess, a seat to'operateseid rod. 5 transparent hood on the top of the back over the opening of the recess, and. a lever CLAIRE BRAOHVOGEL. pivoted to the lower end of the back and hav- JOHN K. BRACHVOGEL. 

